STATUS OF RESEARCH 



The current meter equipment exists, and even allowing for some losses from their present 

 use in the South Atlantic, enough should be available for OMP deployment in the latter half of 

 1995. 



The numerical modeling progress has been slower than anticipated. The model needed to 

 be modified to simulate the more demanding conditions than those it was designed for (the deep 

 ocean bottom boundary layer). We now have it making what we think are reasonable simulations 

 of a BBL in the rigorous conditions of large bottom slopes and large buoyancy (Brunt Vaisaila) 

 frequency found seaward of the shelf break. We are currently examining SEEP CTD BBL data 

 (as noted earlier existing OMP CTD data does not reveal the BBL) for examples of conditions 

 to further simulate and test our model. One paper acknowledging DOE/OMP support was 

 recently accepted by Journal of Marine Research. 



Keywords: benthic boundary layer, water mass budgets, hydrography, numerical models 



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